Postal cash-sales receptacle.



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CNE C STHMP EN-r BooK Two cerf STAMP Be E. S. WALKER.

POSTAL CASH SALES REOEPTAGLB.

APPLIGATIQN H'LED APR. 16, 1910.

Patented May 9, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

BULK STHMFS Twa ENT BULK sTfmPs ONE CENT jf@ 77M? STR ENYE

NVENTOR:

E. S. WALKER.

POSTAL GASH SALES REGBPTAGLE.

APPLICATION FILED M1116, 1910.

991,567. Patented Mays, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1 s Nbnms PETERS cc, wAsHlNGmN. o. c

Unir sra EMMITT STONE WALKER, OF ROSCOE, TEXAS.

POSTAL CASH-SALES RECEPTACLE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, EMMITT STONE WALKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Roscoe, in the county of Nolan and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Postal Cash- Sales Receptacles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cash sales receptacles for rural mail boxes.

The object of the invention is to provide a receptacle adapted to be placed in a rural mail box and comprising a frame or casing having a plurality of indicating dials and a combined cash and stamp drawer sliding in the casing.

Another object resides in providing a small and compact receptacle adapted to be deposited in a rural mail box and having means whereby the amount of stamps, postal cards or stamped envelops desired may be indicated and the cash in payment for the purchase inclosed in a drawer provided in the device.

Finally the object of the invention is to provide means of the character described that will be strong, durable, efficient, and easy of operation, simple and comparatively inexpensive to construct, and also in which the several parts will not be likely to get out of working order.

l/Vith the above and other objects in view, the invention has relation to certain novel features of construction and operation, an example of which is described in this speciiication and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l. is a side elevation of the receptacle, Fig. 2. is an elevation of the opposite side, Fig. 3. is a plan view, Fig. 4. is a longitudinal vertical sectional view on the line S-D of Fig. 3, Fig. 5. is an end elevation, Fig. 6. is a similar view with the drawer open at the cash box end, Fig. 7. is a similar view with the drawer open at the opposite end, Fig. 8. is a sectional view of the receptacle as shown in Fig. l with the side of the casing removed, Fig. 9. is a similar view of Fig. 2 with the side of the casing removed, Fig. l0. is a view similar to Fig. 3 with the casing broken away to show the dia-ls, Fig.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 16, 1910.

Patented May 9, 11.911..

Serial No. 555,969.

1l. is a transverse vertical sectional view, and Fig. l2. is a detail in elevation looking from the interior and the casing being broken away to show the springs :tor holding the dials in position.

In the drawings the numeral l, designates an elongated metallic casing substantially square in cross section and open at each end. This casing has false walls 2 at each side and a similar wall 3 at the top. By means of these false walls, suitable spaces are provided between the latter and the side and top walls, 4, 5 and 6 respectively.

Between the false walls 2 and 3 and the bottom of the receptacle a drawer 7 is mounted to slide. This drawer has substantially the same length as the casing and is provided at one end with a knob 8 by which it may be pulled from the casing or pushed out the other end of the casing. This drawer is divided by a central partition 9 into two compartments l0 and ll or a cash box and a stamp box respectively. A. transverse pin 12 secured to the partition engages in longitudinal slots 13 in the 'false walls 2 and the slots terminate short of the ends of the casing whereby the sliding movement of the drawer is limited and it cannot be displaced from the casing.

The cash box or compartment l() has extending from the partition, a cover 14 provided with a spring hinged member 15 adapted to open upward when the drawer is pushed from the casing as shown in Fig. 6. The cash for the purchase is placed in this compartment and when the drawer is pushed into the casing, the spring cover member will be closed down by engagement with the edge of the false top wall 3. The drawer is pulled open to expose the compartment l1 as shown in Fig. 7 and the stamps placed therein by the postman, who theny pushes the drawer into the closed p0- sition shown in Fig. ll.

This receptacle is placed loosely in a rural mail box and may be attached thereto with a chain or the like (not shown). One desiring stamps, envelops, stamp books or postal cards and not desiring to wait until the postman arrives, sets certain indicating mechanism, hereinafter described, places the required amount of cash in the cash box 10 and deposits the receptacle in the mail box. The postman removes the cash from the cash box and after observing the said indicating mechanism, places the stamps or stamp books in the compartments 11 after closing the drawer, deposits the receptacle in the mail bex. If stamped envelope or postal cards are ordered, these are placedunder a spring clip 16 mounted on the bot tom of the casing.

rlhe indicating mechanism comprisesdial rings, dial disks and operating means. Each dial disk 17 is surrounded by a dial ring 18, the surfaces of both lying substantially flush. A dial disk and a dial ring constitute an indicating mechanism, several of which are employed. These disks and rings are disposed in the spaces between the false walls 2 and 3 and the side and top walls il, 5 and 6 of the casing. Each disk and ring have flat springs 19 secured on their rear sides, the free ends of these springs bearing against the adjacent false walls and maintaining the disks and rings in concentric relation and holding them in close contact with the inner faces of the casing walls.

A turning knob 2O is mounted for each disk on the outside of the casing wall through which it has connection with the disk and whereby the disk may be rotated. Each ring dial tits snugly about its disk, but is free to rotate independently thereof and is provided on its periphery with gear teeth adapted to be engaged by a flat pinion 21. For rotating the pinions, a turning knob 22 is mounted opposite each pinion on the outside of the casing wall and secured to the pinion through the wall. The knobs 20 and 22 are disposed so as to aline longitudinally of the easing and preferably in alinement with the knob, a slot 23 is cut over each ring and disk so as to expose a portion of the face of each and display through the slots, characters carried by the disks and rings.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, six slots will be found, two on each side and two on top. Over each slot a legend is displayed explaining the particular value of the indieating mechanism displaying through the slot. l have diiferentiated these mechanisms by the letters A, B, C, D, E and F and it is to be understood that any number of mechanisms desired may be employed. In the indicating mechanism for books of one cent stamps, numerals beginning with 25 and increasing in multiples of 25 are provided on the disk near its periphery so as to display at one side of the slot, while on the ring numeral beginning with Zero and ranging upward at multiples of 1 are provided so as to display at the other side of the slot. rl`he numerals on the disk indicate cents and should wish to purchase a book of twentyfive one-cent stamps, he turns the ring by the knob until zero is displayed through the slot 23 of the mechanism A and then rotates the disk by the knob 2O until 25 is displayed through the said slot. This will notify the postman of the character and amount the purchaser desires. rlhe mecha- -nism B is for books of two cent stamps and the disk and ring bear the same numerals as above described. rl`he mechanisms C and D are for one and two cent stamps in bulk and the disks are provided with numeralsbeginning at zero; While the rings have numerals beginning at Zero and running to i) for cents and other numerals for dollars. By turning the knobs the rings and disks can be set to indicate through the slots the stamps desired. rEhe mechanisms E and F on top of the casing are for stamped envelops and postal cards. Numerals indicating dollars are provided on the rings and numerals in multiples of tive are provided on the disks. These disks and rings like the others can be set to indicate the quantity wanted. Of course when it is not desired to purchase certain kinds of stamps or cnvelops or postal cards, the respective indicating mechanisms thereof are set at zero, thereby indicating to the postman just what supplies are requested by the numerals shown through the various slots.

Vhat l claim is:

1. In a postal cash sales receptacle, a casing open at each end and having indicating slots in its walls, false walls provided in the casing, dial disks and dial rings mounted to rotate between the walls of the casing and the false walls, the disks and rings having characters displaying through the slots of the casing walls, means for rotating the disks, means for operating the rings, and a drawer slidable through the casing and having a cash compartment and a stamp compartment, the drawer being arranged to slide outward from either end of the casing and provided with means for limiting its sliding movement.

2. n a postal cash sales receptacle, a casing, false walls within the casing on two or more sides, a drawer slidable through the casing and held against lateral displacement by the false walls, indicating devices arranged in pairs between the outer walls of the casing and the false walls, each pair of indicating devices comprising two members one of which has a portion of its face displaying beyond the other, and operating devices engaging the members.

3. ln a postal cash sales receptacle, a casing open at each end, false walls within the casing on two or more sides, indicating members arranged between the outer walls of the casing and the false walls on two or more the numerals on the ring, dollars. If one sides of the casing, devices for operating the indicating membersJ a drawer siidahle nameto this specication in the presence of through the casing and conned against lattwo subscribing witnesses. eral displacement by the false walls, a transverse partition dividing the drawer into two EMMITT STONE WALKER' compartments, and a spring opened closure `i/Vitnesses: over one of the compartments of the drawer. B. G. BLY,

In testimony whereof I have signed my JAMES O. EVANS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of IPatents, Washington, D. C. 

